Thursday, September 29, 2011

The thing that sucks with starting out new project is on how helpless you feel. Everything is new. Everything is unfamiliar. There's nothing to compare it with. Completely blind. I feel like a new starting out fresh graduate.

I sometimes wonder how did I came to work in a technical line after trying to resist it so long. I wonder why I persist so long. It had been almost 4 years now. Wow. The longest I had been at a company and still no plan to move. I am getting way too comfy here.

With this short brief thought, I will now head home. Tapi masih berlengah2, because KL is usually jam. I used to choose my workplace nicely. Like before my office move, getting to home from office is a breeze because the AKLEH is just metres away from my parking lot. Now, sometimes getting back to home is more stressful than the whole day at work. (either I hate driving or work is too easy?).

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

A Clash of Kings is set a few months after the ending of Game of Thrones.

It picks up again with all the impending wars of the realm and the fight to get the thrones.

In this book too, I am introduced to a whole lot of other characters. In the first book, I only need to acquaint myself with the Stark and Lannister house mostly. In this book, I have to get to know the Greyjoy and Baratheon. In the next book ( from the sneak peek I read ) , it will include the Tyrell House. So many characters so little plot advance.

Things move slowly in this book 2, which I guess is only the start of my frustration on this series. I am pissed at first to get to know this relatively new characters. I was thinking " I want to know only of the old characters not caring a whit for the new one". But I guess the author feels that for at least 1 side of the realm, we must have a narrator. It does give a clearer picture, but it does slow down the story. By the end of the book, you feel like the plot barely move.

However the book does not feel slow, it is fast pace enough, chock full of court intrigue ( just the way I like it ), warring and angst. So many angst. In the middle of the book, it got a bit much, and I have to take a breather again, but right at the end, it picked up steam again. Which left the readers wanting more.

While I do have the third and fourth book, I don't think I will read it so soon after I had finished this one. It is best to take a break and read a few other books in between before resuming the series. After all, I think George R.R. Martin had only finished a few chapters of the 6th book. We are a long way from over.

I give it all stars because I love on how everything I predicted of the characters still does not come to be or turn out completely different. I wonder what they'll do next.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Currently sitting at home watching Gilmore Girls. Bliss I say. It would be more blissful if my computer is not acting up again (which it only does that when my husband is away? What is up with that) While other people got to go to open houses or twtup but I have nothing to do and just sitting here idling my time away. Anyway, yesterday spent some time at the MPH Warehouse Sale after I heard some excellent sales on graphic novels. But I suspected that all of the good ones ( like Watchmen and Fables ) had all been gobbled up. They are only all those superheroes crap left. Bah! So I didn't buy any of them. I guess I have to depends on my 10% off Borders discount card then for graphic novel purchases.

Instead, this are my loots

This pic looks tilted to you? I sometimes have problem taking a straight pic.

I counted around 16 books which equals to about RM113 altogether. I am somewhat excited to get the Tash Aw book that I had been eyeing for a while, but was around RM40 in Kino the last time I seen it. So at this sale it is purchased at RM15. Good enough price, something to sneeze about ( I think I may use that phrase wrongly).

But I am especially excited when I saw 'Furious Love'. I almost missed it, but I decided to roam around the place one more time, (practically skipping the RM20 books, I mean RM20 books? For a warehouse price? The galls! But of course it is better than the so called book fair that sometimes just shaved off 10% - 20% of the price. Which is like... have no words for it. But when I came upon this type of book fair and saw the final price, I'll practically storm off the premise and fuming at the mouth. It is not a pretty sight ).

Anyway back to the book, which I saw and I kinda squealed when my eyes fall upon the dust covered book. I had been looking for this! The last BBW sale didn't have it. Maybe the upcoming one got, but who cares. And of course I realized I have at hand the movie that practically spurns this book. The movie where Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton ( I kept on referring Richard Burton as Burt Reynolds in my head) first fall in love even though both are married , I think. Of course the warehouse sale do not have this movie on sale, I bought the movie at Carrefour months before. Haven't watched it yet, so I am now conflicted on what to do first. Read the book first or watch the movie first? Or the other way around? Sigh... such dilemma.

Oh btw, the book sale at the MPH warehouse sale is ok enough, you can't get the popular books below RM10, unless you dig hard enough. However I find a few gem at around RM 5 and RM 3 prices, so there's nothing to bitch about. Overall it is quite good. To find something to your taste and very cheap, you may need to prepare to dig deep, where good airy clothing and braced yourself for lot of dust, but it was worth it. All the not so cheap one are displayed prominently but those are good prices, like you can get the GoT books ( all 4, not the recent one), at RM88. A lot of Sophie Kinsella and Madeline Wickham at RM20, and so does a lot of popular authors. Older books or obscure authors, you need to dig though a whole lots of boxes. Which is why a lot of my books purchase are the one prices at RM 5 or RM 3. Hard to get disappointed if you're just paying just a couple of ringgit for it.

I think I am a hoarder of books.

p/s: Kurap almost got hit by a car just now because she was hell bent on chasing after that darned bunnies. At least the driver stopped and laughed when hearing my screams. He was probably thinking crazy cat lady.

Friday, September 09, 2011

I had saw the series first which was amazing and lovely and intriguing as hell.

So after the series end and a feeling of despair settles in, I bought the book so I can relish again the story.

I never care much about fantasy before. I try to get into LOTR, but without success. I think I like something with the YA feels to it, which is why my preference is more to that. The other fantasy series sounds something like an old bore or someone who fancy they want to be an old bore would write.

So the writing on this story surprised me a bit. Maybe I was expecting LOTR style of writing, but George R. R. Martin is surprisingly to the point, direct, succinct. Quite a number of times you might even find a glimmer of humour that is incredibly lacking in most fantasy stories. Which I like, because sometimes it is so unexpected that I can't help laughing out loud.

I love the plots, the intricate characters, court intrigue, the many lords and ladies that it make your head ache trying to keep up. It created a wonderful world and I find myself unable to tear myself away from the book. So I rate it amazing, because that what I felt like when watching the series AND read the book.

My youngest brother is now engaged. Gile pantas. I felt old, and maybe I am because I'd been thinking that this year I'll be 30, but my husband replied that he'll be 30 (or is? God. I am horrendous), then I am only in the sweet sweet age of 28.

That being said, I am really bad with birthdays. Don't take offense ok? Just because I don't remember your birthday does not mean I like you less, I am just horrible with dates.

The Petknode issues had simmered a while but people are still outraged. I am like Chics where I mudah lembut hati and felt kesian to the owners of Petknode. I think they majorly fucked up. I think perhaps they did not mean to be cruel but they inadvertently left the cats to die. I think perhaps they had entrusted it to someone else but the someone fled. However it is still their fault. It is their business. They should not be too busy to at least look into their shop to see if their shop is ok and whatevs. They should take more responsibilities. It is terrible, they're majorly stupid and the one who suffered are the poor defenseless kitties.

Now, I fetched the cats from the pet boarding on Sunday, and all of them looks pleased to see me. Especially Kurap. She is incredibly affectionate this past few days, and my husband is somewhat pissed that Kurap acted like he didn't exist in the house. I would be devastated if my cats are the one who suffered the same fate as the one in Petknode.

I am back to work now, on Wednesday dan tengah liat lagi. However I can't afford to be liat because I have deadlines. So... taa for now. Main game kejab dan buat keje.